Freighters (cargo ships)


General Information:
Cargo Ships are large seagoing vessels that carry things from place to place. There are many different types of freighters, including container ships, and bulk carriers. They carry everything from army equipment to shipments of jewlery. Resource #1
Freighters are almost always built of welded steel, and most of these gigantic ships survive up to 30 years before being scrapped. Freighters usually weight between one and two tons. These ships are usually between two and three stories tall and require a massive harbor to be docked in. On a cargo ship's deck there is a crane, one of the many tools a freighter uses to help it unload its materials. Resource #2
external image Cargo%20Ships%20Tawanui.jpg This is a 1960's cargo ship with a decent sized cargo hold. Resource #6

Goal:

Cargo ships are mostly made to carry goods with all sorts of mechanisms to help load the goods and unload them as well. Freighters are also used to transport massive pieces and amounts of cargo such as furniture, army equipment, and even jewlery. Resource #3

WW2 Ship History:

In 1941 a decision was made to rapidly expand the US merchant fleet. It was a deficult decision to make. With a huge order of 200 ships and very little time, the decision was made to adopt the regular British cargo design for the new US Navy cargo fleet. The design was modified slightly to further aid mass production. Resource #1
external image 410252.jpg This is a model of the "U.S.S. Liberty" Cargo Ship. Resource #5

Cargo:

Because freighters are so large they can carry a wide range of items. These ships carry everything from sacks of flour to cars. The items are stored in the ships hull and on deck in massive containers called cells. The cells are usually about eight feet long, the size of a pretty small car. Each ship can carry about 1,200 of these cells per trip. Resource #4

Cargo Ship Changes Over the Years:

Since the beginning of World War 2, the traditional cargo ship has slowly become more advanced. Today, unlike a long time ago, the freighter has electricly powered cranes and derricks. The ship can also be loaded at the side and stern as well as the hatches. In addition, the ship has an engine room with up-to-date equipment and a bridge with extremely modern equipment such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) for navigational purposes and a computer controlled propulsion system. Some extremely modern ships are nuclear powered. Future ships may be electric or hydrogen powered. For the electricly powered ships, a few solar panels may be in order. All in all, the cargo ship has changed a lot over the years. Resource #4
external image SolarCargoShipS.jpg The cargo ship of the future! WOW!!! Resource #6



RESOURCES:
1. http://www.ww2ships.com/
2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_ship
3.http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Cargo_ship
4. World Book Encyclopedia, Page 417-418
5. http://www.hobbyworldinc.com/woodship36.html
6. Google Images ww2 Cargo ships Search